Soil testing device



April 21., 1942 F.. LE MIEUX, JR 2,280,592 i SOIL TESTING DEVICE Filed Aug. 16, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l MF@ "1E-W2 l April 21, 1942 F. LE MIEUX, JR 2,280,592

SOIL TESTING DEVICE kFiled Aug. 1e, 1939 3 sheets-sheet 2 April 21,. 19.42. F. LE MIEUX, JR 2,280,592

SOIL TESTING DEVICE Filed Aug. 1s, 1959 s Sheets-sheet `s 1%@ 7? Z5 26 64 /71 Patented Apr. 21, 1942 UNITED .asrArfE-fs ap TENT 1'"()FFI'CE .l SOIL TESTINGDEVICE `fsFrederic Mieux, JrlfNew Orleans; La.

ApplicationAugu'st 16, 1939', Serial No.'290`,475

(CirA 265-14) f '4 Claims.

This invention relates. to a soil testing :apparatus and more-:particularlylto a; testing apparatus adaptedto determine the loadY carrying characteristics of a pile. In the past, it-has been possible to test .the bearing-.capabilities ofV soil adapted to-.carry affecting. foundationby a direction applicationrof a-unitiload,fhowever no adequate means havehbeenavailableto test the diierent bearing c-apacities of a soilwithrelation to-.a pile foundation. g

It has been proposedftol drive a vtest rodvinto the earth with a-hammer having a predetermined striking velort. andthen tomeasurefthe penetration resulting. l The measurements thus lobtained are usedin an. ernpiricaLformulal to givecertain data and .while.these...resu1ts. are-useful, it has been foundthat .they4 arefnot; entirely accurate. Other methods .also hav'ebeen `used in practice but none has been. found. to'gVir .dependable de- .sign informationf. Thepresent. invention is par ticularly designed. toprovide ameans for driving a test rod in a manner. to. obtain accurate information for pile yfoundation design Yand it is the particular purpose of this invention to provide a device. for1 indicating; the .actual load supportingability of a testr'o'd. in adrect manner.

Another. object is toproyide a test rod .loading means .and gauges. to l. indieate. the.. load required to start 4movement` oflthe .rodand the .load .car-

ried whenmovement ceases.A A furtherobj'ec't i`sj.to\.make available-means fromwhich it is possibleftodeterminathe sustaining power` of columnpiles.

'I Still. another object s.to;.prbride ameans to measure the friction' coemcient between. the. tes rod xand anylparticulansub .'soil strata. Another Object is to. proi'idemeansto determine' .the .exact length of .pile required. tosustain `a' given .load o'r` the' greatestv load acertain Alength of pile will carry.

^ Numerous .other..obje.cts areeattainedvby the` present' invention yand these .will` appear. 4more 'fully below.

In the drawings: Figure l is a side .elevation partly brokeny away of oneemb'odiment o'itheinyention.

' `Figure 2 is a' detailedlelevation of .theinven- 'tion'shownin-Figure 1`.showing a means for withindrawing the 'test' rod,

' Figure V3. shows` another form' of.. the invention, Figure 4fdiscloses a` meansfor testing a par-- ticular sub'soil strata.

Figure 5v is a' detail' View. ofthe vmechanical jacking` means used inthe forms of' ttienvention' shown irFigUISIand 3,

.Figure 6 is a side elevation partly broken-.away of the preferred form of the invention,

Figure '7 is a detailed section ofthe usual driv- .ing tip of the test rod,and

Fgure is adetailed section of thehead of the .test rod lfor determiningthe plasticity of a certain substratun'i of. soil.

' In the embodiment of theapparatus shown. in Figure l, a .platform truck is provided `having a relatively heavy build.l The truck has theusual cab lil, motorl H, Wheels' l2, andpairs.` of .front and rear springs' I3 andi I4. '.The vflat .platform through the aperture to be driven into theA earth without any.. "interference from .the usual .drive :mechanism and under structure ofI -the. truck. The `upper end of the tripod legsarejintegrally connected to a' plate' 26 vdisposed abovetheaperture and it is seenthat arigid assembly isobtainedincluding the truck chassis, the platform, i and the tripod.

`Asabove stated a test rod 25 is passedL .through aperture 2| and 'driven into the soil andsuitable hand vpower-i means` arepositioned v'between the i plate 26- and the .test rod to force it downwardly. It is to be understood of course that anysuitable "power 4means* could be used but in this Inodicaltion of the invention,` for the sake of simplicity,

a` hand Voperated hydraulic 'jacking means' 21 which may be and preferably isA a. conventional lautomobile jack is'positioned between .plate 26 and` the vupper -`end of av jacking rod' 28.`"The jackingrod, as shown in" Figure 5, is provided on'the' upper end with a at plate. 29whichseats against the under side of the hydraulic jack as shown in Figure -l and the jacking rod isadapted vtofextenddownwardly therefrom through aperture 2|"with its` lower end reaching justlbelow the floor of the vplatform I5 as shown in Figure 5; The' test rod 25 being tubular in form, sur- 1rounds vthe ldownwardly extending jacking rod v and a hand operated mechanical jack 30.cooper ates with the jacking rod` 28 to push thereagains't t'o force the test rod into the soil.

' Referring to Figure l, it is seen that adevice is 'here providedwherein a-rigid tripod is mounted on a platform truck so asA to b e'portab1e` .When .it desired t0 make 'a test'sounding, the truck is propelled to the spot to be tested and a test rod is forced into the soil. After the desired length has been driven into the earth, the jacking means above described are manipulated to exert a direct loading effort on the test rod and, as it is thus loaded, an upward reaction is established against the plate 26 which is transmitted by legs I8, I9, and 28 to the platform of the truck such that the rigid truck structure including the truck chassis, body, motor, etc., is lifted. (Hereinafter whenever the word chassis is used it is intended to mean the body, motor, etc., all of which are supported above the chassis.) chassis is thus raised, the weight of the truck is taken off the wheels and by reason of the front and rear springs I 3 and I4 interposed 4between the chassis and wheels, thek weight is slowly transferred to the test rod. This is evident from the fact that the springs normally tend to carry all of the weight of the truck and as the chassis is slowly lifted the compression of the springs is relieved sc that the weight is gradually applied to the test rod.

The springs I3 and I4 have another important kfunction in'this testing 'device in addition to the permitting of a gradual transfer of the load. lIn going from the condition where all of the weight ,of the truck chassis is carried by the springs, to the stage where all this Weight is i transferred to the rod, the chassis must be lifted a considerable distance and when the load is transferred back to the springs the chassis will descend slowly the same distance. This relatively long stretch of the spring or length of up and down movement of the chassis during variation of loading is taken advantage of to obtain very accurate measurements of the load capacity and reactions of the rod.

The hydraulic jacking means 2? has a pressure indicating device 3I operatively associated therewith which may be of the Bourdon type, the gauge 3l being connected by a fluid line 32 to the working chamber of the hydraulic pump. In the'v preferred construction, the gauge 3| is a recording gauge having a movincr chart driven by'a timing mechanism. A` second Bourdon type pressure recording gauge 33 which preferably is nxedly mounted with respect to the hydraulic pump tis alsoconnected tothe working chamber by a fluid line 34. The last named gauge has a flexible rotating link 31 connected between it 'and the friction wheel 3T which is rigidly mountvwheel 3l.' driving'the drum through the exible link 37 causes the recording drum to turn in exact` relation so that the penetration and at the Ysaine-time the pressure of the hydraulic fluid within the Working chamber is constantly recorded. VIt is evident that thepressure indication can be calibrated to readdii'ectliy in pounds load on the rod in order to obtain an immediate knowledge of its load capacity and reaction under specied conditions.

After the test rod has been driven and certain recordings made, it is sometimes desirable to measure the force necessary to withdraw it from the earth. One means to accomplish this is shown in Figure 2. In order to effect withdrawal, the mechanical jacking means 39 and jack rod 28 and the hydraulic jack are removed from the tripod. A fixed base plate 4S is mounted near the upper end of the tripod so that the hydraulic jack 21 may be supported thereon as shown. An extracting yoke frame 4I is adapted to be positioned over the upper.- end of the hydraulic jack so that it is lifted thereby as the jack is operated. The lower end of the extracting yoke is xedly connected to the extracting rod 42 which in turn is removably connected to the test rod through grab-links 43 and 4d. 'I'he grab-links are supported for lifting action from the extracting rod by chains, 135 and 4E. In this use of the hydraulic jack' the two pressure gauges are again connected to the working chamber as above describedand the fiexible link 37 of gauge 33 is again connected to the test rod through the friction wheelS'I to turnthe recording drum in proportion -to the length withdrawn as above explained.'

In the usefof 'this structurejas the hydraulic jack if operated, the 'extracting yoke is lifted carrying the extracting ro'd42 with it. The extracting rod is operative through chains 45, 46, and the grab-links 43 and to exert an upward pull on the test Vrod to withdraw it fromy the earth. The exible link 31' being operatively connected to the rod as it is lifted, actuates the penetration recording gauge as above described. It will be appreciated that as the extracting meansis operated that the upwardly directed force required tolift the Yrod will create a downward reaction Aagainst plate 0 on the tripod which will be transmitted through the tripod legs I,- IS, and 2G to theplatform I5 ofthe truck. As this load is placed on the platform, the springs I3 and It accomplish theirr full function. In this operation the springs are further compressed so that agradual application of lifting force is applied to 'the test rod in the same manner as when it is loaded for inserting it in the soil and also,I during the withdrawal, a relatively long movementis produced 'in platform I5.

The manner of usingthis apparatus is evident from the description of the structure itself. The truck is situatedwith aperture 2I over a specific location to be tested and the test rod is vdriven into the earth, readings `being taken or not as desired. When a suitable length of test rod has been sunk, testA loads maybe gradually applied. By means of the recording gauges an exact account of the loads and the reaction of the rod lunder load maybe had. In this connection, by reason of the relatively long movement of the truck platform during the loading and unload- Ying process due to the action of the springs, the loads are built up anddiminished under such controlled circumstances that the rod may be slowly loaded and the load sustained for relativelly long periods or `the load may be increased until actual movementtakes place. The device is therefore operative to record directly the exact sustaining ability of the test rod or the total load required to cause it to penetrate moredeeply into the earth. After the rod starts to sink no further load is applied andthereafter the actual load decreases because the platform settles onto the truck springs and this slow diminution of the load is recorded as well as the depth of penetration occasioned by the load, it being thus possible to determine also the load supported by the .rod Awhen :all movement stopped; The;` variation in load is accompanied byfa corresponding move- 1ment of thepl'atform and due to' the gradual transfer of the-load from the rod to the springs `and vice versa, accurate recordings of the rods reactionv mayA be' obtained.

fThe'tripod maybe mounted directly on the surface of `the-earth 'around the test rod, as

shown in Figure 3. -In this device, the tripod legs I8, I9,V and 20 are integrally Vsecured to spring Hfeet 50, 5I andEZ respectively. The spring feet `areprovided at their 'extreme ends with suitable means 'f for iixedly securing they springs to the earth'and when so secured the device is operative as' above described to obtain the vnecessary data "from the test rod.

IV'Thepreferred form of test rod driving means is shown inv Figure 6. In this embodiment of the invention, the tripod including legs I8-, I9, and 2B and the'rigid top plate 26 are mounted on.-

the platform I5 of a truck as previously described. A hydraulic chamber 60 is rigidly supported from the top plate of the tripod and exl tends downwardly through a centering spider 6I mounted between legs I8, I9, and 20.

ton 62' having a downwardly extending piston rod 63 is adapted to reciprocate inthe cylinder 60, the lower end ofthe piston rod I`being operatively connected to the upper end of the/test rod 25, so that as the piston is driven through.A

the cylinder, the test rod is driven into or withdrawn from the earth. The hydraulic cylinder is connected at its upper and lower ends with the two-way manually operated valves 66 and 61 through pipes 64 and 65 respectively. rf'

` The pipes B4 and 65 are designed to supply a pressure iiuid in one end and permit an exhaust V'of fluid contained in the other'end and to effect this, each of the' two-way valves is connected by a pipeline to a pump' 63 and a reservoir 69. The-two-way valve 66 has a pressure supply pipe I0 and a return line 'II connected between it and thevpump and the Areservoir and the valve 51 has a pressure line 'I2 and a return line 'I3 connected between it and the pump and reservoir respec-fA tively.

The hydraulic cylinder is also supplied with pipe connections I5 and 'I6 so that pressure recording gauges 3| and 33 may be connected thereto in order to obtain a permanent record of the load reaction of the test rod as explained above in connection with the device shown in Figure 1. The connection 'I5 has a valve-TI connected in line therewith and connection 'I6 has a valve 'I3 in line therewith, so that by proper operation of the valve the gauges 3l and 33 may be connected to the working or pressure side of the hydraulic cylinder, the low pressure side being entirely shut off from the pipe line leading to the gauges so that an accurate measurement of the working pressure is obtained. The gauge 3| is the time-pressure recording gauge described above and gauge 33 is the penetration-pressure recording gauge which is adapted to measure the actual movement of the test rod with respect to the ground by means of the flexible rotatable cable 31 and friction wheel 3l' bearing against the test rod.

In the operation of this preferred form of the test rod driving means, the pump 68 is operated by any suitable means so that a relatively high pressure is established in the pressure delivery lines 'I0 and 12. Assuming that the valve 61 is turned to the position where the pressure line is closed and the return line is open and valve E1 1 isfset,zso' thatthe' pressuiel-ine i'siopen and the A"return line is closed,`I pressure'willf befestablished on'topof-th'e piston 62 t'oforce itdownwardly, thus driving the t'estrod` into'the earth. LAslthe piston lmoves downwardly, it willv force the .liquid which lls the cylinderbelow the piston-through the return line 'I3 into the reservoir69.'l'When the-valve 66 is setso-thatthe return line isopen and the pressure line isi closed and valve 6T is iol . turn line is-c1osed,- thevpressurevwill beestabset so that the pressure-line is -open Iandthe relished on theuunder 4"sideofthefpistonto drive it upwardlvtof withdraw -the test rodi from the v`earth. -piston will be'fdriven' through'return line 1I to In thisfinstance, 4all-the riiuid above' the the reservoir' Iii).I It is Iobvious' of course,fthat as the test rod is drive'ni'into or withdrawn from the earth, -lo'ading reactions are established exactly -as inthe deviced'escribed i'n" Figure 1,` that is, the -truck'ch'assis will b'e'lifted and-the load' gradually transferred tothe-'testrodlldue tothe spring action of thetruck.

It is understood of course,v that `during the test rod driving operation" the gauges 3|- and'` 33 are connected-'ito"the-worlring1 chamber of Lthe hydraulic cylinder so that a direct indication of the actual loadv on the test rod may be had.

atip shown in" Figure '7,`which-keeps the hollow test rod Afree oflany debris which might tend to lie-compressed into it. .The test rod is then withdrawn and the hollow tippt-Figure 8- is driven Aonto-its lower end .and the test-rod is'reinserted v After-'the rod'has beenleft stationary for a suicient period to letfthevsoil sealfaroundthefsides v of-the rod, aspeciedl-vacuum is created Within vthe-hollow test-rodbyany suitable means. AThis .may be accomplishedby-disconnecting the test i rod driving#- meansland vconnecting any# Wellknowniiormj otvacuum pump directly to the` upper end of the hollow test rod. The vacuum is maintained for a predetermined length of time which causes a certain quantity of soil to be sucked into the hollow test rod. When the rod is withdrawn the quantity of soil drawn into the rod forms an index of the plasticity of the soil.

In certain circumstances, it is desirable to obtain the characteristics of a particular strata of earth below the surface and to accomplish this an arrangement such as shown in Figure 4 may be provided. In this use of the testing equipment, a casing 55 is driven into the earth down to the upper surface of the strata to be tested. The earth within the casing is then removed and a test rod inserted and driven through the particular strata by the present testing means so that the necessary information may be obtained.

It will be apparent that the test rod may be driven into the bottom of the body of water by mounting the particular driving means here shown on any suitable barge. When the test rod is loaded, the barge will tend to lift out of the water, thus gradually shifting its weight to the test rod. The weight of the barge, the depth it floats in the water etc. must all be properly designed so that the load will be gradually shifted and to provide a sufficient length of movement in order that the gauges may be used to afford an under the test conditions.

The invention described above is capable of many modifications, therefore the specification is not to be considered as limiting the invention beyondv the requirements of the prior art. The invention is particularly described in the following claims.

Iolaim:

1. A soil substrataI testing device having an elongated testing means adapted to be driven into the soil, said means being of substantially uniform cross section with the dimensions of any section through said means being at least equal to the dimensions of the corresponding next lower section through said means, said means having its surface in engagement with the soil including all the strata tested, means to drive said testing means through the substrata in more than one direction, means to supply a controlled driving force for said driving means to maintain a positive control of the movement of said testing means in each direction, and means to measure the driving force as said testing means is moved in each direction whereby from a knowledge of said Values an accurate prediction of the characteristics of said substrate, can be made.

2. A soil substrata testing device having an elongated testing means adapted to be driven into the soil, said means being of substantially uniform cross section with the dimensions of any section through said means being at least equal to the dimensions of the corresponding next lower section through said means, said means having its surface in engagement with the soil including all the strata tested, means to drive said testing means through the substrata in either direction of the length of said elongated testing means, means to supply a controlled driving force for said driving means to maintain a positive controlrof the movement of said testing means in each direction, and means to measure the driving force as said testing means is moved in each direction whereby from4 a knowledge of said values an accurate prediction of the characteristics of said substrata can be made.

- V3; A soil substrata testing device having an elongated testing means adapted to be driven into the soil, said means being of substantially uniform cross-section with the dimensions of any section through said means being at least equal to the dimensions of the corresponding next lower section through said means, saidmeans having its surface in engagement with the soil including all the strata tested, hydraulic means to drive said testing means to cause penetration of and to drive said testing means through the substrata in more than one direction, means to supply hydraulic iuid under controlled pressure to said driving means to maintain a positive control of the movement of said testing means in each direction, and means to measure the pressure of said driving fluid as said testing means is moved in each direction whereby from a knowledge of said values an accurate prediction of the characteristics of said substrata can be made.

4. A soil substrata testing device having an elongated testing means adapted to be driven into the soil, said means being of substantially uniform cross-section with the dimensions of any section through said means being at leastequal to the dimensions of the corresponding next lower section through said means, said means having its surface in engagement with the soil including al1 the strata tested, hydraulic means to drive said testing means to cause penetration of and to drive said testing means through the substrata in either direction of the length of said elongated testing means, means to supply hydraulic fluid under controlled pressure to said driving means to maintain a positive control 0f the movement of said testing means in each direction, and means to measure the pressureof said driving fluid as said testing means is moved in each direction whereby from a knowledge of said values an accurate yprediction of the characteristics of said substrata canbe made.

FREDERIC LE MIEUX, J R. 

